Centre for Reviews and Dissemination, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, UK.
Syst Rev. 2023 Aug 17;12(1):142. doi: 10.1186/s13643-023-02309-y.
Scoping reviews and evidence maps are forms of evidence synthesis that aim to map the available literature on a topic and are well-suited to visual presentation of results. A range of data visualisation methods and interactive data visualisation tools exist that may make scoping reviews more useful to knowledge users. The aim of this study was to explore the use of data visualisation in a sample of recent scoping reviews and evidence maps on health topics, with a particular focus on interactive data visualisation.
Ovid MEDLINE ALL was searched for recent scoping reviews and evidence maps (June 2020-May 2021), and a sample of 300 papers that met basic selection criteria was taken. Data were extracted on the aim of each review and the use of data visualisation, including types of data visualisation used, variables presented and the use of interactivity. Descriptive data analysis was undertaken of the 238 reviews that aimed to map evidence.
Of the 238 scoping reviews or evidence maps in our analysis, around one-third (37.8%) included some form of data visualisation. Thirty-five different types of data visualisation were used across this sample, although most data visualisations identified were simple bar charts (standard, stacked or multi-set), pie charts or cross-tabulations (60.8%). Most data visualisations presented a single variable (64.4%) or two variables (26.1%). Almost a third of the reviews that used data visualisation did not use any colour (28.9%). Only two reviews presented interactive data visualisation, and few reported the software used to create visualisations.
Data visualisation is currently underused by scoping review authors. In particular, there is potential for much greater use of more innovative forms of data visualisation and interactive data visualisation. Where more innovative data visualisation is used, scoping reviews have made use of a wide range of different methods. Increased use of these more engaging visualisations may make scoping reviews more useful for a range of stakeholders.
范围综述和证据图谱是两种旨在绘制特定主题相关文献的证据综合形式，非常适合以可视化方式呈现结果。目前存在各种数据可视化方法和交互式数据可视化工具，这些方法和工具可能会使范围综述对知识用户更有用。本研究的目的是探索在最近的健康主题范围综述和证据图谱中使用数据可视化的情况，特别关注交互式数据可视化。
检索 Ovid MEDLINE ALL 数据库中最近的范围综述和证据图谱（2020 年 6 月至 2021 年 5 月），选取符合基本选择标准的 300 篇论文作为样本。提取每个综述的目的以及数据可视化的使用情况，包括使用的可视化类型、呈现的变量以及交互性的使用情况。对 238 篇旨在绘制证据的范围综述进行描述性数据分析。
在我们的分析中，238 篇范围综述或证据图谱中有约三分之一（37.8%）包含某种形式的数据可视化。在这个样本中使用了 35 种不同类型的数据可视化，尽管大多数确定的数据可视化都是简单的条形图（标准、堆叠或多组）、饼图或交叉制表（60.8%）。大多数数据可视化呈现单个变量（64.4%）或两个变量（26.1%）。使用数据可视化的综述中，约三分之一（28.9%）没有使用任何颜色。只有两篇综述呈现了交互式数据可视化，且很少有综述报告了创建可视化的软件。
目前，范围综述作者对数据可视化的使用不足。特别是，更具创新性的数据可视化形式和交互式数据可视化具有更大的应用潜力。在更具创新性的数据可视化使用方面，范围综述已经使用了多种不同的方法。增加这些更具吸引力的可视化的使用可能会使范围综述对各种利益相关者更有用。
